Notepad Series
by Desert Thief
Summary: Drabble series with Ian Edgerton the sniper as the main character. Will eventually be Ian/Charlie, but not for quite a while. Takes place after season 4, so some spoilers. Discontinued
1. Music

- - - -

_Music:_

Ian switched the radio on once he found open road, letting his mind relax after a three week manhunt. The guy had surrendered after being cornered in a barn. The local FBI agents hadn't appreciated how close Ian had fired the 'warning shots.' Agent Eppes wouldn't have thrown a fit over a few millimetres. It wasn't like he hit the guy.

He hadn't seen the Eppes brothers since he'd moved up to third best shot in the country.

A kill shot through a pick-up's windows.

Tinted windows.

He had made sure that was mentioned on the report.

As a new song came on the radio, Ian decided to listen out for assignments in the L.A. region.

He always had the best time with those guys.

- - - -

_Liked it? Then say so and I'll know to post more here (I also post on some other sites, under different names, but I only post on sites that show interest, so click the 'review' button)._

Desert Thief


	2. Firearms

- - - -

_Firearms:_

Ian lazed in the back of his pickup, jacket propped under his head, breaths deep and far between. One arm rested on his chest, the other lay atop his rifle. He'd spent the morning cleaning and polishing the tool of his trade, now it was time to take a repose in the afternoon sun.

The tiniest piece of dirt could jam the rifle, and when you have one chance screw-ups could end in tragedy. Not an effective way to move up sniper ranks.

It didn't matter how many guns you had, it only took one bullet.

One bullet per bad guy. He wasn't a god.

No matter what the rumours said. _Bastard son of Clint Eastwood and Yoda indeed_.

Colby certainly was entertaining. He could always tell an Afghan soldier by the looks they gave him.

_Afghanistan._ That place was responsible for his sniper legend and a bullet-scar on his right hip. War wasn't his preferred hunting ground. And he disliked sand. It got everywhere.

Including his rifle.

Which meant cleaning it before every important shot, and at least once a day.

Twice if someone didn't secure a tent door.

Not that he didn't still clean his rifle regularly and before a shooting, providing he had the time.

Hence why he'd spent the morning cleaning and polishing his rifle. Now, with the sun overhead, he planned on catching a few hours sleep till he headed back to Quantico.

- - - -

_Okay, that's two up. Only (glances at prompt list) 41 more to go. Although it'll probably be more as I keep adding more to the list. _

_Next prompt is... pancakes? Where the heck am I digging these up from?_

Desert Thief


	3. Pancakes

- - - -

_Pancakes: _

"Can I get you anything else?"

"Another coffee. Please."

Ian sat at a table in a forgettable diner, plate of 6 pancakes - with ice cream and maple syrup - almost gone, awaiting his fourth cup of coffee. Ian wasn't afraid of flying, but he'd rather drive.

Or cycle.

Perhaps walk.

Don had asked him in to do a favour. 'Off the record.' That could be anything from interrogating a suspect to taking one out. Ian was curious, and a curious sniper was a determined sniper.

The blonde waitress placed a steaming cup of coffee in the place of the old one as Ian finished up the last of the pancakes.

"Anything else?" she asked, waiting patiently for the sniper to finish the coffee.

"Three cups to go, and a muffin, if you have any."

It was a long road to Los Angeles.

- - - -

_Hmm, exam study or Numb3rs writing... hmm... Numb3rs writing wins every time._

_Has this series gone anywhere yet? Not really, but don't fret! Plot development coming in the next drabble, rain._

_Oh, and thanks _meganM57nebula _for the information about the Eppes' and pancakes, but I'd already written this one. Have to remember it and use it later on._

_To answer a question yes these drabbles are related to one another, they're chronological._

Desert Thief


	4. Rain

- - - -

_Rain:_

The walls of water distorted the distant city's lights through the car's windscreen. After 16 hours on the road, Ian could drive no further. Aside from his pickup, the mountain lookout was barren.

Ian climbed into the backseat where a blanket and pillow awaited. He could sleep anywhere at any time, the backseat being one of the more comfortable positions. He placed his pistol within a hand's grasp, locked the doors, and slept.

He woke sometime later to a vibration in his jeans pocket.

_1 missed call_

He hit redial.

"Eppes."

"Good morning to you, too."

"Edgerton? Where are you?"

"An hour from L.A, if I leave now." He heard Don exhale in relief. "Don, what's going on? You said this _favour_ could take 'a few weeks.''

"Just until the trial."

"Trial?" Ian began to piece together the pieces. "Don, if your favour is babysitting a witness for three months I'm driving back to Quantico."

"There have been two attempted assassinations-"

"So you stopped them."

"Edgerton-"

"Put her in witness protection."

"Him."

"Put _him _in witness protection."

"I tried. He says he has too much to do."

"You let your witness decide what's best? Don you've gone soft."

"You come here and we'll see if you do any better."

"Nice try. Put an agent on him."

"This case has... personal ties. I'm not trusting someone I don't know."

"Colby? David? Megan? They're not just there for sex appeal."

"I need them in the field."

"And the field doesn't need my skills more?"

"Edgerton-"

"_Eppes_."

"Ian-" Don stopped to talk to someone in the background. The reception was too full of static for Ian to hear who. Ian took the opportunity to climb into the driver's seat and check the time. It was a little past four.

"Ian-" Don came back to the phone. Ian protested.

"I won't do it. I'll give you a list of agents who-"

"Charlie's the witness."

That made Ian pause.

"Charlie," he repeated.

"Yes."

"As in Professor Charlie."

"Yes."

"As in your brother Charlie."

"Yes."

"Right. Where are you now?"

Ian memorized the Eppes' home address as Don recited it.

"I'll be one hour."

"Thanks Ian."

"Hey, I'm just your friendly neighbourhood sniper-god. I'm here to help."

Ian heard Don scoff before he hung up.

- - - -

_Next prompt is... witness, in which Charlie finally makes an appearance! _

Desert Thief


	5. Witness

- - - -_  
_

_Witness:_

L.A. was beginning to stir when Ian drove down the street of the Eppes family home and walked towards the address. Don had mentioned he had an apartment, so Charlie must live there with his father. The craftsman house seemed unnaturally inviting.

Ian thought about testing the security and sneaking in, but if attempts had been made on Charlie's life, he didn't want to be accidentally shot by Don. He knocked on the front door instead.

He was greeted with a drawn gun.

"Interesting welcome."

"Edgerton,' Don hoisted his pistol. 'I'm surprised you agreed to do this."

"So am I," Ian crossed his arms. "Can I come in?"

Don stepped aside and allowed the sniper to pass. He was steered into a living room that was certainly being lived in. Used mugs hid themselves on tables, shelves, under papers and atop books. Papers formed a second carpet. Colby slept on the couch, shoes off, socks on, gun still in his holster.

In the middle of the zone sat Charlie.

"Professor," Ian greeted.

"Edgerton!" Charlie scrambled to stand.

"Where?" Colby jerked awake.

"Colby, go make coffee," Don ordered. "We'll bring Edgerton up to speed."

Colby took a well-worn route to the kitchen while Ian sat himself on the couch, Charlie dropped himself onto a chair and Don remained standing.

"So which case went bad?" Ian said.

"None," Don answered. "Charlie wasn't on one."

"Then what was he doing?"

"I was just biking home," Charlie spoke up. "I heard screams so I rode towards them. I..."

"Charlie?" Don moved closer to his brother. "If you don't-"

"I'm alright, Don. Really," Charlie smiled in reassurance. "I saw him stab her. I shouted, he saw me and ran."

"You intentionally drew a murderer's attention?"

"The odds were in my favour," Charlie defended. Ian raised an eyebrow.

"The man is Zeke Matthews," Don picked two pictures off the floor and handed it to Ian. "The woman was Tracy Jones, his secretary."

"He was having an affair, broke it off, and she threatened to tell the wife?" Ian guessed, taking the photos. Tracy was a petite woman with a delicate smile and hazel hair, young enough to have just finished college. Zeke appeared a decade older, black hair sleeked back, eyes of blue glaring at the man behind the camera taking his arrest photo.

"Yes."

"Bail?"

"800,000, he didn't post. He has the money, but we suspect he's putting it to use elsewhere." Don handed him another photo. Ian committed the faces to memory. Both were in their late 30's, the male having a thin face, sand-coloured hair that parted to the side and narrow brown eyes. The woman's hair was as red as a fire truck. The man was tall, around 6", but she stood eye-to-eye with him. Large blue eyes mismatched her small lips.

"Trevor and Melanie Andrews. Irish. Formerly of the IRA, now in Cuba training drug-runners how to evade us." Don said. "Part-time contract killers."

"Married guns-for-hire, reminds me of a movie I saw on cable." Ian placed all four photos in a pile.

"Coffee's up!" Colby called from the kitchen. "There's no mugs left in here."

"Grab a mug and move to the coffee," Don ordered. The sniper and professor followed orders.

- - - -

_-groan- information dump. Still, sooner the board is set, the sooner the games can begin.  
_

Desert Thief


	6. Coffee

- - - -

_Coffee_

Ian had two passions: firearms and coffee. While on a job nothing relaxed him more than one hand resting on his pistol, the other clutching a steaming cup of coffee. He'd down it like water, even the horrid sludge he'd had at the LA FBI building.

When Colby handed him back the green mug he'd picked up, recently rinsed and full of coffee, Ian had expected to taste the watery formula of instant.

Not freshly brewed French Vanilla, his favourite brand. Don didn't seem like the coffee bean type, more of an instant addict. He didn't have enough information on Alan Eppes to include him in his mental game of who-dunnit. He doubted Colby would have brought his own coffee into the Eppes' home. So the professor?

"Edgerton?" Don asked.

"Hmm?" Ian blinked hard and scolded himself for losing focus. "So you mentioned two failed hits?"

"Both drive-bys, in daylight, one outside CalSci and the other as he drove home with Colby," Don said. Ian nodded, savouring his coffee. "The files are at Bureau, David's looking over them.'

"You don't have copies here?"

"You'll want your own hard copies," Don placed his finished mug in the sink. "I'll call David, let him know to have them waiting. Colby, you take the morning shift."

"How long have you been taking shifts?" Ian had underestimated the severity of the situation. If Don's team were taking shifts watching Charlie, the risk had to be high.

"Since the Andrews arrived in town," Colby dropped his mug aside Don's. "Not that I don't love Alan's cooking, but after doing this for three weeks, I'll be glad to take a break."

Don headed for the door, giving his brother and co-worker a wave. Ian drained the last drops in his mug. Before he could place it on the bench, it was snatched from his hand.

Charlie placed with the others in the sink.

"I have a lecture at midday," Charlie told him. "That's when David usually takes over."

"Anything I'd understand?"

"Complex numbers on the Argand plane."

"A little out of my depth there," Ian said.

"Edgerton, you coming or what?" Don called from the doorway. Ian thanked Colby for the coffee and headed after the elder Eppes brother, wondering what exactly he'd signed up for.

- - - -

_Anyone else here watching the Olympics? Come on Australia!_

Desert Thief


	7. Impressed

- - - -

_Impressed_

Ian followed Don's black SUV in his pickup to the FBI building. The traffic was beginning to clog the roads as the average citizens made their way to work. The sniper parked beside Don, but it wasn't until they were waiting for the elevator that Don started a conversation.

"Thanks," Don said.

Ian turned to the agent. "For showing up?"

"For Hoyle. Taking your shot."

Ian snorted, but it grew into a chuckle at Don's serious expression.

"She kidnapped one of your agents and nearly killed her. I understand why you did it," The elevator arriving interrupted Ian, so he waited till he and Don were heading up to the office to continue, "If I'd thought differently, the review board would have known about it."

Don nodded in remembrance.

"Besides, it was a decent enough shot."

"Decent?" Don crossed his arms.

"Clean, controlled and quick. Hitting a moving target is never easy."

"Just _decent_?"

"I concede. I was impressed. Apology accepted by the way." The elevator doors opened.

"Means a lot coming from, what, the country's fourth best shot."

"Third," Ian corrected, following Don as he snaked through the maze of desks. "And Don?"

"Yeah?"

"Don't take my shot again."

- - - -

_Just a small thank you to everyone who's left a review, especially _PhantomHellsShadow_. What is it now, only just over a month till Numb3rs season 5 premiers? Oh, and for those who don't know Ian's back in the season premier! squee I missed him in season 4._

Desert Thief


End file.
